Lebanon's Mikati family is establishing a leasing company for regional aircraft to be operated by Switzerland's Flybaboo, and potentially by other regional carriers it may invest in.
The Mikatis, through their company M1, placed an order earlier this month for five Embraer 190s plus five options.
Last year M1 ordered two Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s, the first of which will enter service in March with Flybaboo, and took options for another four of the type. Flybaboo chief executive Julian Cook says the carrier will operate at least three of the E-190s and at least two of the Q400s ordered by M1, which became Flybaboo's majority owner last year.
Flybaboo has an organic growth plan to expand its fleet from two to at least five aircraft over the next 15 months. It also plans to expand its Geneva base to at least 12 routes and could add a second base.
Meanwhile, Cook says Flybaboo is poised to become the first E-jet operator at London City. Embraer expects to complete certification of the E-170 for the airport soon, and Cook is pushing Embraer to accelerate E-190 approval from late 2008 to early 2008.
Source: Flight International
